Announcement imminent, Arsenal to officially confirm Bernd Leno signing

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13-06-2018

Arsenal are reportedly close to wrapping up the signature of goalkeeper Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

The Germany international has been associated with the Gunners since the close of the 2017/18 season and the club appear close to sealing his signature after he was left out of his country’s 23-man squad for the World Cup.

According to reports in German newspaper Bild, the north London giants have already a £22million with Bayer Leverkusen for Leno, who could replace Petr Cech between the sticks next term and an announcement of the deal is imminent.

Obviously, the goalkeeping position was a concern during the previous campaign with Cech prone to making key mistakes which cost the club valuable points on the road.

David Ospina, in turn, has been credible with his performances in the Cup and European competitions but he has also had concerns when intercepting crosses from the wider positions.

As things stand, Sky Sports has not revealed the potential package for Leno’s transfer but it is known that he has a £22m release clause written into his current contract.

Leno has not been in the best of form over the past two years where he has been prone to making a couple of notable mistakes but Sven Mislintat nevertheless appears to have earmarked him as the prime goalkeeping target.

The German is swift with his feet and capable of playing the passing game which has been associated with the Gunners but he has had the odd struggle when being subjected to long-range shots.

Arsenal have already sealed the signing of Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus on a free and Leno would potentially be regarded as the club’s third recruit considering an informal agreement has already been reached to sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

Daniele Rugani’s agent reveals update on player’s future amid Arsenal interest

By

George

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13-06-2018

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing 23-year-old Juventus center back Daniele Rugani.

After signing Stephan Lichtsteiner, Unai Emery is looking to bolster the defence even further and has been linked with Daniele Rugani.

The youngster is already working his way into the Juventus squad and is an exciting prospect. Making 26 appearances this season while fighting against the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Medhi Benatia for minutes.

Standing at 6’2, the player could add a real aerial threat to the Gunners who have often lacked in both defensive and offensive set-piece situations.

The defender who is valued at €40m(£35m), has been connected with a number of clubs across Europe in the last few seasons and has been linked with a move to the Emirates since January.

However, according to TalkSport, the Gunners have ‘no chance’ of the signing the player. This comes after Rugani’s agent, Davide Torchia, explained how Juventus have no plans to let the Italian international go.

“It’s been a very positive season for Daniele,” Torchia told TuttoJuve.”

“He’s played more than 1000 minutes in the league and made 26 appearances, including 25 as a starter.”

“It’s a nice improvement compared to the previous season and there is space to be able to do better next year.”

“At Juventus it’s not enough just to be a good defender, you always have to do more.”

“Juventus have always considered him unsellable and have never considered selling him.”

“The club are very satisfied, they have great respect for the lad and don’t want to deprive themselves of his football qualities.”

Sometimes agents’ words can be cryptic and in modern football, anything could happen between now and the end of the transfer window, so Rugani may be a name for fans of the North London club to remember.

Official: Ainsley Maitland-Niles signs new Arsenal contract

By

Nithyanand

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13-06-2018

He is one of the most exciting and promising talents to come out of Arsenal’s academy. Not too many players from there have established a foothold in the recent past. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is thought to change that situation.

The 2017/18 season was his breakout year. He showed that he could apply himself even at the highest level. The most impressive aspect of his performances was the versatility that he showed.

A number of factors ranging from injuries to transfers meant that he had to fill in for a number of positions. He ended up playing as a right back, left back and in the center of midfield. All this has resulted in him being rewarded with a contract extension, as confirmed by Arsenal’s official website.

The new Gunners manager who impressed during his interview with his knowledge of the entire squad and among the players he spoke about, Maitland-Niles was one that he was particularly excited about.

The North London club have announced that the youngster had signed a new long-term deal that will keep him at the club for many years to come. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is one player that Unai Emery has earmarked as someone who will have a big impact on the team.

Here is the tweet:

New season, new contract, new number.

Get your @Ains_7 shirt 👉 https://t.co/XRihKEbj2z pic.twitter.com/PlB3Ig8azG

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 12, 2018

This is great news for the fans as it shows that Arsenal can still produce and nurture exciting young talent. Ainsley Maitland-Niles himself said that he was excited to be working under Emery.

He also went on to add that the manager’s preferred style of play is suited to his game as well. His physical qualities will surely be of use for Emery and the kind of pressing he will want the team to do.

Though fans may want players to be signed to enhance the squad, sometimes the best solution may be found internally. Having a player as talented as Ainsley Maitland-Niles will surely add to the options that Arsenal will have in midfield. With his future locked down, it is time for the player to go from strength to strength. It is certainly interesting to see how he will be used but the future looks exciting.

Arsenal target Gelson Martins asks to terminate contract, resignation letters sent

By

Nithyanand

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12-06-2018

A lot of the focus of Arsenal’s transfer activity this summer has been related to the defense and midfield.

The lack of players/quality in the departments is the reason for this. This is surprising given the fact that the team does not have any true wingers. Reiss Nelson can play there, but he is one for the future.

But, despite this, it appears that a certain Portuguese player could be arriving very soon. That player would be Gelson Martins. The Portuguese winger belonging to Sporting CP is on his way to London due to a crazy series of events.

Gelson Martins along with William Carvalho and Bruno Fernandes have already made a decision to leave their club after the training ground attack by fans. A number of players from the club were attacked by their own fans, a month ago. This has led to many of them looking to move elsewhere.

A few days back, A Bola have reported that Arsenal put in a bid for Martins which was rejected. When the club rejected the bids that Arsenal made for Gelson Martins, the player made up his mind. He along with William Carvalho and Bruno Fernandes have sent their letters of termination, according to reports in Record.

The player was keen on finding an amicable solution but the club was not in favor of doing that. This will give the Gunners a greater negotiating power in snapping up Martins, who has a buyout clause of €60m(£52.8m)

The promising winger had a great season where he hit double digits in both goals and assists.His performances have caught the eye of many clubs. The fight to secure his signature will surely intensify now that he can be got for free.

Despite that, Arsenal have the edge in signing Gelson Martins. Where he will fit in the team is a bit of a mystery. But, it nonetheless will be an exciting signing when it’s made.

When the transfer is made official, he will become the second signing of the summer. Gelson Martins is currently with the Portuguese squad preparing for the World Cup. And Sporting CP are not going away without a fight.

It is predicted that they will be taking legal action against the players. This could make the transfer a little more complicated. While a deal can definitely be struck, it may be possible only after the World Cup is over.

Arsenal announce these players will leave the club, including big fan favourite

By

The Long Shadow

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12-06-2018

The influx of new recruits has begun under Arsenal’s new coach Unai Emery, with the arrival of Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Dortmund and Stephan Lichsteiner from Juventus.

The complicated rebuilding process appears to be in full swing and at least two more recruits are expected, possibly by the end of next week.

There are a whole host of names constantly linked with the north London club and somewhere within the constant media speculation are Arsenal’s new arrivals, but it does beg the question, who will go the other way through the exit door?

The suggestion in the press was that Emery had a mere £50 million to spend but the current spending spree is likely to cost between £80 and £100 million.

Although it’s rumoured that absentee owner Stan Kroenke has agreed to cough up an extra £20 million, it still leaves a considerable hole which will need to plugged. The only way that can happen is to sell and trim. According to the Mirror, Arsenal are releasing nine players.

Marc Bola, Santi Cazorla, Alexander Crean, Aaron Eyoma, Ryan Huddart, Chiori Johnson, Hugo Keto, Per Mertesacker and Tafari Moore. Although most of the names in the list were expected to leave, the most disappointing departure will be that of our little magician ‘Santi Cazorla’.

Yet, there will almost certainly be more high profile casualties and the likes of Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Nacho Monreal, Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny will all be on high alert in regards of their futures.

It may not happen at once, Arsenal may have to plan some departures this transfer windows and more the next but it would be viewed as prudent and would certainly be part of the agreement that CEO Ivan Gazidis has with Unai Emery.

Arsenal interested in Jean-Michael Seri, Manchester City also keen

By

Sri Aswin

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12-06-2018

Arsenal are reported to be in a three-way tussle with Chelsea and Manchester City to pursue the signature of Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri.

The Ivory Coast international had been on the radar of the Gunners during the early stage of the 2017 summer transfer window but a deal could not materialise.

Thereafter, Seri was said to be on the cusp of joining Barcelona but the Catalan giants made an 11th hour decision to sign Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande instead.

According to Sky Sports News, the 26-year-old could be heading through the Nice exit door this summer with his existing deal due to expire in 12 months’ time.

The Gunners have not expressed any interest in signing Seri this month but Sky Sports reports that his close relationship with head of relations Raul Sanllehi could play a part in a possible deal.

Last summer, Sanllehi had come close to signing Seri for Barcelona whilst being their sporting director and the Ivorian’s representative has since remained in close contact with the Spaniard.

Nice have recently recruited former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira as their new head coach and the Frenchman is reportedly expected to make the final decision on the midfielder’s future.

Despite being a Gunners legend, Vieira’s recent allegiance has lied with the City Group and there is the suggestion that he may seek to push through Seri’s move to Manchester City, should they fail to sign Napoli’s Jorginho.

Regardless of this, Arsenal appear to be making significant towards signing another highly-rated midfielder in Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria this month.

The Gunners are currently prepared to trigger the £22m release clause written into the midfielder’s contract which is considerably cheaper than Nice’s £35m valuation for Seri.

Arsenal complete signing of Joel Lopez

By

Nithyanand

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12-06-2018

Arsenal and Barcelona have had a long history when it comes to the transfer of players. This century has seen many of them go to Arsenal and from to Barcelona as well.

Some of the most high-profile examples include Marc Overmars, Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas. This century has seen some promising talent from Barcelona make their way to London. Fabregas would fall into that category.

The other success story of this type of move is Hector Bellerin. And now, there is another player who has chosen to swap the Emirates for the Camp Nou. The player in question is Joel Lopez who has turned an offer from Barcelona to join Arsenal, according to reports in Sport.

The report further states that high-rank officially in Camp Nou tried to convince the youngster to stay put, but the young defender preferred to join the Gunners.

The player is considered to be one of the brightest talents in the Barcelona academy. Having gone through the options at his disposal, the youngster made the decision to join Arsenal. He has communicated with the Spanish club that he will longer be with them.

It will be a real coup for Arsenal when they sign Joel Lopez. He plays primarily as a left-back. And the Gunners will be hoping that he can emulate the success of his compatriots such as Bellerin.

Getting him into the first team may be a step too far at the moment. The package that Arsenal offered Joel Lopez was far more attractive than anything Barcelona had to offer.

He believes that this is the best way to take his career forward. This represents a change of pace for the Gunners. The players that they have been linked to are older and more experienced.

This signing shows that Arsenal is an attractive option for young players even after the departure of Arsene Wenger. Along with Joel Lopez, the expected arrival of Yacine Adli is cause for excitement.

Though they are very much meant for the future, Gunners fans should be happy with them. The only aspect remaining is the confirmation of the deal. As fans of the club, let us hope that the future is as exciting as it sounds.

Arsenal closing in on agreement to sign Lucas Torreira, time frame of payment to be sorted

By

The Long Shadow

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12-06-2018

It’s not been an exciting transfer window for Arsenal fans thus far, interesting perhaps, but no one is reaching for the party poppers just yet.

That may be about to change this week because Arsenal are on the verge of securing Sampdoria’s defensive midfielder Lucas Torreira for around €25 million, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

The report states that an agreement is close between the clubs and only the time frame of the payment is to be sorted out along with the agent fees.

This transfer would represent a major addition to the squad and complement other signings that have been already completed or that are about to be finalised.

The Uruguayan ankle nibbler is not just a defensive blanket that extinguishes attacks, he is blessed with excellent vision and passing ability.

At first glance, it would appear that the diminutive ace could be pushed aside with ease but he possesses the tenacity of a playful terrier who is intent on retrieving any stray ball or pouncing on a misguided pass.

Arsenal have lacked a purpose built player for this most crucial role and if the pen is committed to paper, it will be a big part of the clubs problem solved.

Torreira is not the complete answer to the issues at hand but at least Emery and Mislintat can now mould the backline knowing that they would have a legitimate force just in front of whatever they assemble.

Yacine Adli is the other candidate that I would personally like to see at Arsenal to add to the existing midfield combinations. Anyone observing him will already know his flair and skill and he would be perfect in the role of creator for the likes of Aubameyang, who it appears is the chosen strike threat.

Names continue to surface in the press, including that of Manchester United’s Fellaini but if we dismiss this as a fantasy purchase the foundations being put in place seem good.

Fellaini with Ozil, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan or Wilshere just seems improbable and if you consider the emergence of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, it seems even more unlikely.

Arsenal ‘on the verge’ of completing transfer deal for Lucas Torreira

By

Nithyanand

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11-06-2018

According to recent reports, the pursuit of Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira has reached a conclusion. And, it promises to be one that will benefit the Gunners.

There has been some competition for the Uruguayan from Borussia Dortmund and Napoli. Carlo Ancelotti, their new manager seems to be very serious about securing the services of the 22-year-old.

According to reports in Italian news agency ANSA, the North London club are on the verge of signing the £22m midfielder after Sampdoria have completed a deal for Lovro Majer, who is touted to be his replacement. This is great news for Arsenal who will be able to inject some much needed quality to their midfield.

Lucas Torreira is part of a Sampdoria team that has taken everyone by surprise, with their performances this season. The 2017/18 season was well and truly his breakout season.

His prowess on the pitch has caught the attention of many clubs around Europe. Arsenal have become enamored with the diminutive midfielder and want to bring him to the Emirates.

A major reason for this is that the player has the qualities that the Gunners need in the middle of the park. Any Arsenal fan who has seen the player play, will surely be excited by the skill set he has.

A player who has the vision to play passes between the lines as well as defending aggressively. This is what Arsenal will be getting when they sign Lucas Torreira. It is these qualities that has also caught the attention of Napoli as well.

The Naples side’s midfield talisman Jorginho, is on the verge of joining Manchester City. This has led to them looking for a suitable replacement. That search led them to Torreira. Initially, it appeared that they seemed to have the upper hand in the deal.

An inability to match the player’s financial demands means that they might have let Torreira slip away. It is this aspect where Arsenal seem to have an advantage. The Gunners can offer the kind of wages that the player wants. It is in Arsenal’s best interest to complete the deal soon. Once the World Cup starts, the player’s value might go up.

Arsenal ready move for Jean-Philippe Gbamin

By

George

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11-06-2018

Arsenal are reportedly interested in a transfer for FSV Mainz player Jean-Philippe Gbamin, according to reports from RMC Sport, as cited by GFFN.

The North London club are weighing up a bid for the 22-year-old who is rated at around €30m by the Bundesliga Club., the price seems reasonable given Gbamin is a key player for Mainz, who finished 14th in the Bundesliga this year.

A versatile player, Gbamin has played in Central midfield, defensive midfield and at center back this season, making 31 appearances for Mainz. He is also a regular in the Ivory Coast National side.

It is believed his signing would be a part of manager Unai Emery and head of recruitment Sven Mislintat’s plan for the transfer window to force a defensive revolution for the Gunners.

After a poor season defensively, conceding a painful 51 goals in the Premier League, the Gunners have been looking at multiple defensive signings to make a real title push in the coming season.

After signing Stephan Lichtsteiner, it looks like 29-year-old Sokratis could be the next signing announced, with Caglar Soyuncu still looking like a deal that could happen.

Gbamin would be a brilliant addition to these signings, providing depth in both midfield and defensive roles, the young player could provide Unai Emery with great options for next season.

Standing at 6’1 the Ivorian player could add some real defensive strength to the North London side while also being known for his dribbling and his long-distance shooting.

The interest is sparking even more speculation as to how Granit Xhaka will fit into the new squad under Emery. A favourite of Wenger but now receiving very mixed emotions from fans, a signing like Gbamin could either strengthen Xhaka in a partnership or could add some fierce competition for the defensive midfield position.

Many have criticised Xhaka over showing defensive inexperience yet often playing as a sole defensive midfielder, the condemnation is not always earned, Gbamin could ease this pressure.